Today we went out in hopes of practicing getting Harry in the trailer AND being able to have some time to ride. Well, we spent the entire time trying to get him in the trailer. It wasn't a very hectic process; actually, it was quite laid back. We took out the divider and turned it into a one horse trailer first, that way it wouldn't seem so claustrophobic-looking. For about an hour, I stood/sat at the top of the ramp, encouraging him to come up. He kept digging the ground in front of it and hitting it with his hooves but never actually stepped up on it.
After that hour of waiting and food-bribing a la John, Paco came over and said "Let me give it a go". He kept gently tugging Harry and Harry kept slightly rearing. After about a half hour of that, Paco got Harry to get up onto the ramp but he wouldn't go forwards into the trailer. He made a loop of the lead rope around Harry's nose and led him in that way. After that, Harry was loading in and out perfectly! So now it was my turn.
He did a few good loads while I was leading him and then he got a little frustrated so Paco took him again. We shut Harry in the trailer and he was a little nervous about the butt bar. After a few minutes of standing there, we unhooked the bar so we could unload him, but Harry just pulled and released the quick release ties and slid down the ramp on his butt. Now he's scared of going in the trailer! It was just stubbornness before, but now he's actually scared! He'll go all the way up the ramp but never in. After another half hour of trying to get him to go back in, Paco said Harry was too worked up over it to keep trying today, so I hosed him down and stuck him back in his stall. Best words for this situation: "When you fall on your butt, don't you know you're supposed to get back up and try again?"
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